Garment or ironing press



April 19, 1932- J. c. LEDBETTER GARMENT OR IRONING PRESS Filed July 28,1928 2 Sheets-Shgeet INVENTOR James [Zmzrod leclfielter ATTORNEY April1932- .1. c. LEDBETTER 1,855,111

GARMENT OR IRONING PRESS Filed July 28, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORJames arm/ad ledeller 1 ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 19, 1932 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE JAMES CAMROD LEDBETTER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TOTHE PROSPERITY COMPANY, INC., OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OFNEW YORK GARMENT OR IRONING PRESS Application filed July 28,

This invention relates to pressing machines and more particularly togarment presses and laundry or ironing presses.

An object of the invention is to produce a press having wide openingjaws, one of which has a compound motion including a laterally forwardand backward motion and a vertical compressing action to produce jawcompression on the work between the jaws.

A further object is to produce a press having wide opening jaws, say ofthe type wherein the buck or lower pressing member or jaw is ordinarilystationary while the other pressing member, say the head or upper jaw ismovable; and the jaw opening action is wide to afford a clear view ofthe buck so the work may be easily placed thereupon.

Though the invention is susceptible to being converted into many forms,the accompanying drawings show one example of the press serving toillustrate the principles involved and wherein:

Figure 1 is a view of the press in closed position with the jaws undercompression; and Figure 2 is a side view of the press with the jaws inopen position and ready to receive the Work.

In carrying out the purposes of this invention there is provided anupright swing link pivoted on its lower end in a frame under the jawsand attached at its upper end to the head jaw. In this way nocounterbalance weights are employed. Improvements in operating means toproduce jaw compression as well as regulating means to vary the jawpressure forms a part of the invention.

Any suitable press frame 4 is employed which may carry one stationaryjaw, as the buck 5, together with a table 6. A headsupporting arm orlever 7 is pivoted in the frame at 8 and any suitable means such as aspring 9 is arranged to normally urge upwardly the lever 7 so as toseparate the jaws for release ofthe compression from the Work andfollowed by opening motion as will be explained.

A head or jaw support swing link 11 is pivoted at 12 on the arm 7 andextends rearwardly from the frame and extends vertically upwardly andthen forwardly over the jaw 5 where the head support 11 forms a bracketto 1928. Serial No. 295,951.

mount a handle 13 by which the operator pulls capscrew or other means 16is screw threaded intothe frame or into the upright llias the case maybe. By properly adjusting the cap screw 16, the jaws 14 and 5 are causedto properly align one over the other so that the head comes to rest inits forwardly limited position in registration with the buck 5. Theadjustable means 16 therefore provides a stop for the heacLcarryingswing link 11 and Which is at the same time adjustable.

Operator-actuated means are provided to produce jaw compression afterclosing the press. An example of this operating means is shown in theform of a toggle or pedal mechanism wherein-a pedal 17 is integrallyformed with an arm 18 to make a bellcrank 1718 which may for conveniencebe pivoted at 12. The bell crank arm 18 in fact comprises one link ofthe toggle 1819, the two links of which are. pivoted together at 20 andthe upper end of the togglebeing pivoted at 21. When the pedal 17 isdown, the toggle 1819 rests in straight line position or its center 20is in slightly over-straightenedpositionto, lock the jaws together undercompression. When the pedal 17 e is up the toggle 1819 is broken torelieve the jaw compression and to permit jaw separation which re-.sults when the head 14 is swung rearwardly to expose the buck. A stop isprovided to limit the forward straightening actionof the toggle 18-19and may comprise ahand adjustment screw 19a'mounted in a bracket 4acarried on the toggle. i

The upper end of the toggle 18-19 is piv-r otally swungon the frame 4and therefore has a normally stationary pivotal support while the lowerend of the toggle swings at 12 on the support arm 7 and thus has amovable support. Toggle adjustment means is provided by which the upperend of the toggle 19 is adjustably carried on the frame and when themachine is under pressure.

pression regulating means movable parts remain clean.

' the frame at 30 and its inner end ing means comprising ismoved'vertically in relation to the frame 4, the result of which is tosimilarly adjust the upright 11 by which jaw compression is regulated toa greater or less degree.

An example of the adjustment means comprises a worm wheel 23 engaging aworm 24: fixed to a shaft. The shaft 25 is journalled in the frame 1 andhas a hand wheel 26 on the outer end thereof under the table6 convenientto the-reach worm wheel 23 is fixed to the shaft 21 and a cam 27 isfixed to the shaft 21. The cam 27 is journalled in a bearing formed inthe upper end of the toggle 19. In otherwords the toggle swings from thecam 27. The operator turns the hand wheel 26 to rotate the cam 27 toadjustably move the upper end of the toggle in vertical relation to theframe 4. Since the upper end of the toggle swingson the cam 27 itfollows that by moving the cam 27 upwardly thru the agency of the handwheel 26, the lower pivot 12 1S correspondingly elevated to provide moreclearance and less pressure between the jaws 5 and 14. By rotating thecam 27 downwardly the opposite result is obtained and greatercompression is produced;

The toggle pivot points 21 and 12 may be arranged vertically under thebuck 5. If desired, the two pivot points 21' and 12 are disposed invertical alignment in the plane of the mean longitudinally center of thejaws when closed or thus arranged in that relation to the stationarybuck 5. The jaw com- 26-27 is mounted in the upper part of the frameunder the table and hence high above the floor where, these Theadjusting mechanism includes relatively few parts-and is simple inconstruction.

In operation, buck 5 and the operator forwardly, whereupon he depressesthe pedal 17 which over straightens the toggle 18'19 thereby deliveringa thrust on the lever arm 7 and consequently drawing downward on theupright head swing link 11 to produce jaw compression between thepressing members 14 and 15. r

A kickoff or release pedal29 is pivoted on the under edge of thecompression pedal 17 pressing the kickoff 29, the pedal 17 is raisedand-hence-the toggle 18-19 is'broken rearwardly and the spring 9 liftsup the operatthe several parts and hence. lifts the head so the lattermay fall backto open position.

1 The press opening and closing motion is by lateral action, whilecompression and re lease thereof is by vertical action. f Theheadtherefore swings directly back out of the way rather than by arisingaction. The maof the operator. The

the work is spread upon the draws the head 14 V powerful downward I 31engages chine is easy to operate and is simple in construction.

What is claimed is V p 1. In a press, a frame and cooperating pressjaws, operating means to open and close the jaws, including an uprighthavingitsupper end attached to one jaw, an arm pivoted in the frame andon which the lower end of the upright is pivoted, a pedal pivoted on thearm, and means operated bythe pedal to depress the arm to draw down onthe upright and produce jaw compression.

2. In a press, a frame and a cooperating press head 'and buck, an armpivoted in the frame, an upright pivoted at its lower end on the arm andcurved out of the frame at the rear thereof and reaching pastthe' rearedge of the buck extending horizontally above the buck and attachedtothe head to actuate "the same, a bell crank pivotally supported on thearm and including a pedal and an upstanding link, and another link theupper end of which is pivoted on the frame and the lower end of which.is pivotally connected with the link of the bell crank. 1 I Y 3. In apress, a frame and'a cooperating head and buck, a head-operatingmemberin cluding a horizontal portion attached to head, an uprightportion extending downwardly into the frame and under the buck, an armpivoted in the frame and the head-operating member being pivotallysupported at its'lower end on the arm, a vertically extending toggle theupper end of which is pivoted in the frame andthe lower end of which ispivotallyconnected with the arm on the same pivot which supports thelower end of the head-operating member, and a pedal means pivotally suported on the arm on the same pivot with the toggle and member andhaving connections with the toggle to actuate the same.

4. In a press, a frame and a cooperating headfand buck, a, horizontalarm pivoted in the frame and means'to urge the arm upwardly, a. pedalpivotally supported on the arm below the center of the buckv and'havingan upstanding'link, another link connected with'the first I link and theupper end thereof being pivotally 'supportedon the frame thereby'forming a toggle which is actuated by the pedal, andan upright attachedto the head 'to actuate it and extending around the buck and into theframe and pivotally supported by thepedal pivot on the arm. j 5. In apress, a frame and cooperating press aws, operating means including atoggle to actuate one of the jaws in a lateral back and forwarddirection to openandclose the press and to execute a vertical motion forproducing and releasing jawcompression, said operating means including avertical upright which is swingably mounted in the frame, anadjustable-stop means cooperating with the frame and upright where- I bythe forward motion of the jaw aforesaid may be adjusted to secure awalignment when the press closes and compresses, an adjustable pivotcarried on the frame and on which one end of the toggle is supported,and means at the front of the press to set the adjustable pivot to varythe jaw compression.

6. In a press, a frame and cooperating press jaws, operating means toactuate a jaw to open and close the press and produce jaw compression,said operating means including a vertical toggle each end of which ispivotally carried on a movable pivot, manually adjustable meanscooperating with one of the movable pivots to adjust the same to varythe jaw compression, an upright having its lower end pivoted on thelower pivot and its upper end reaching around and above the upper pivotand attached to one of the jaws, an arm having one end portion pivotedon the frame and in which the lower pivot is mounted, and a resilientconnection between the other end portion of the arm and the frame.

7. In a garment or laundry press, a frame, cooperating press jawscarried thereon including a stationary buck and a swingable head, atoggle vertically disposed in the frame having its upper end supportedon a pivot directly under the buck, a horizontal arm having its rear endpivotally mounted on the rear of the frame, a resilient connectionbetween the front end of the arm and the frame, a pivot carried by thearm between the spring connection and frame pivot point and the lowerend of the toggle being supported on the last named pivot, an uprighthaving its lower end carried on the last named pivot and hence on thearm, said upright curving rearwardly and upwardly from the frame andreaching behind the jaws and bent forward horizontally above the headand attached thereto, and said toggle being formed of operable links thelower one of which includes a horizontal pedal projecting from the frameat the front of the press.

8. In a press, a frame and cooperating press jaws, a swingable uprighthaving its upper end attached to one jaw, a single pivot means carryingthe upright for independent swingable motion thereon, an arm movablysupported on the frame to support said single pivot means, said singlepivot means having a limited substantially vertical movement, a pedalfreely journalled on the single pivot means and rotatable independentlyof the swingable upright, and means operated by the pedal to depress thesingle pivot means to draw down on the upright and produce awcompression.

9. In a press, a frame and cooperating press jaws, a swingable uprighthaving its upper end attached to one jaw, a single pivot carrying theupright for independent swingable motion thereon, means on the framecarrying the single pivot, said single pivot draw down on the uprightand produce jaw compression.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature. JAMES CAMROD LEDBETTE-R.

